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ABT tunes Audi RS6 Avant to 730 hp for Geneva

German tuner ABT Sportsline is bringing its modified Audi RS6-R Avant to the Geneva motor show. The limited-edition, 730-hp station wagon will be produced in a run of just 25.

“Mind you, the R stands for 'racy,' not for 'rough' or 'rude,'” says CEO Hans-Jürgen Abt. “As with the normal Audi RS6, ours also provides the utmost comfort, sumptuousness and usefulness, limited to 25 cars worldwide.”

The basic RS6 makes 560 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque from its twin-turbocharged V8. To top that, ABT had quite a task on its hands. Well, technically they just installed ABT's engine control unit with special software and a stainless steel exhaust including a y-pipe and an upgraded catalytic converter.

So that was it for the power. But to really make this wagon feel like a sports car, ABT went to work next on the suspension. ABT installs a height-adjustable spring kit, Dunlop high-performance tires and 22-inch ABT DR alloy wheels.

As for the exterior, ABT replaced stock bits with red carbon fiber including the front lip and blades, air inlet covers, front grille insert, side skirts, rear skirt, rear spoiler and a few other pieces.

Back to that engine. Audi's twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 is already a beast of a motor. It does duty in the company's RS7 and S7, RS6 and S6, and the A8 and S8. Along with ABT's 730 horses, drivers get 678 lb-ft of torque. That's all fed through a four-wheel drive system, which we'd guess leads to a stoplight launch akin to getting shot out of a wrist rocket.

We emailed ABT; they said the conversion costs 60,000 euros, on top of the price of an RS6. That converts to about $82,000 at today's rates. The cars are on sale now, but we don't get the RS6 here, so it would take some serious wrangling to get an ABT stateside. The company did, however, just open up a shop in California.